Competitions, Awards & Calls for Scores

Our list of competitions, awards, and calls for scores of interest to current and prospective members of the Walden community.

The Walden School in no way endorses these opportunities above others that may not appear, nor does it claim to have achieved a comprehensive listing. If you feel there is an opportunity that we have omitted from our list, we encourage you to contact us. We also encourage you to check out The Composer’s Site, which maintains extensive and up-to-date opportunity listings.

You can search for a particular month to bring up a list of opportunities with deadlines in that month: for example, “March” will bring up all opportunities with March deadlines. Also, you can search “free” for a list of opportunities without an application fee.

Four finalists will receive: 2 workshop sessions with Amaranth Quartet, a recording of the final session, and one private composition coaching with composer D. Riley Nicholson. After the workshop sessions, one composer will be awarded $500 and have their piece premiered on Amaranth's spring season.The chosen composer will be awarded $500.

Six winners receive mentorship from professional composers & musicians at a two-day workshop; paid travel and room/board for the workshop; a public concert of the winning works; a $1,000 scholarship ti be used for composition studies; a recording of their concert; and may be eligible for up to $500 in "bring it home" funds to share their work in their hometown. Winners also receive free Finale software. Up to 30 applicants will be chosen for Honorable Mention and receive written feedback on their submissions. ALL entrants deemd eligible applicants receive a free ACF student membership and 1-year subscription to Noteflight Premium.

The American Prize in Composition recognizes and rewards the best composers in America of works for orchestra, chorus, concert band, chamber ensemble, pops, or theater music (opera-musical theater, theater, film, dance) that have been read or publicly performed.

The ASCAP Foundation Morton Gould Young Composer Awards (the “Award”) honors the late Pulitzer Prize-winning composer and The ASCAP Foundation’s former president Morton Gould’s lifelong commitment to encouraging young creators. Open to composers of original, classical concert music, the Award encourages developing music creators during the earliest stages of their careers.

The Award is open to young composers (each, an “Entrant”) who have not reached their 30th birthday by December 31, 2017. Entrants must also be, at the time of entry, a U.S. citizen, permanent resident or enrolled student with a valid and current U.S. student visa. Entrants under 18 may apply with parental consent.

Annually

The “Application Period” begins on December 1, 2017, and ends at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on February 15, 2018. Hard copy materials must be postmarked no later than February 1, 2018.

The International Songwriting Competition (ISC) is an annual song contest whose mission is to provide the opportunity for both aspiring and established songwriters to have their songs heard in a professional, international arena.

First prize winner receives $1250 for the commission of a new electro-acoustic work, performance at the SEAMUS Nat'l Conference, and a recording on SEAMUS Compact Disc Series. Second prize winner receives $750 for the commission of a new electro-acoustic work and performance at the SEAMUS Nat'l Conference.

Must be a student member of SEAMUS AND either currently enrolled in an academic program in the USA (high school through doctoral studies) or a US citizen studying abroad. The submitted work must have been completed while the applicant was a student, and the applicant must have student status at the time the work is submitted to the competition.

Prizes ranging from $500 to $5000 for instrumental, vocal, or electronic compositions.

Must be a citizen of a country in the Western Hemisphere. Currently studying music, either in an educational institution or privately. Under the age of 28 as of time of submission. Has not won a BMI Student Composer Award more than two times (Honorable Mention excluded)

Residency for aspiring film, television, and video game composers. Awards $2,000 stipend for four to five weeks of intensive, in-studio mentorship with established composers in Los Angeles, and also offers the opportunity to consult with other distinguished leaders in the entertainment industry.

At least 21 years old. Pursuing a career in TV, film, and/or video game composition. Must be a US Citizen or resident with a valid visa or green card, and eligible for employment during the residency period.

Annually

See website

See website

Bowling Green State University (BGSU) New Music Festival Call-For-Scores

The MidAmerican Center for Contemporary Music at BGSU calls for works to be performed on the 40th Annual Bowling Green New Music Festival. The festival will feature the music of guest composer Evan Ziporyn and others, performed by BGSU faculty, students and featured guest ensemble New Music Detroit. Composers are offered a $200 honorarium to offset travel costs to attend the festival.

Composers of any age, nationality or institutional affiliation, except those currently enrolled at or employed by Bowling Green State University, are eligible to submit scores.

High school and undergraduate students are invited to submit original choral works. First prize is $1,500, a live performance and recording, and possible publication with Santa Barbara Music Publishing. 2nd prize is $750; 3rd prize is $500.

Open to High School (grades 9-12) and undergraduate students of any nationality.

2-day long program of workshops, panel discussions and concerts by and for students from elementary school to college. Students work alongside professional composers and performers to create, perform and enjoy contemporary music.

Readings, rehearsals, recordings, and commissions for composition students. Students are encouraged to submit works for orchestra, jazz band, string quartet, and mixed chamber ensember, and will be asked to play in at least one Face the Music piece during the season.

Yearlong program in which young composers write a piece to be performed at the end of the program. Includes 1:1 mentorship and bimonthly lessons with an established female composer, performance opportunity as part of the Face the Music season, recording of their work, and networking opportunities.

Any composer eighth grade to rising college freshman who identifies as female or gender non-conforming.

$12,000 commission for allcompositions regardless of idiom, instrumentation, style, or the use of technology. Submissions in jazz, hybrid, electronic, or other idioms are welcome.

Must be a legal resident of the United States for a term of one year or more during the time of the application. For these purposes, "residents" shall be deemed to include U.S. Citizens, lawful permanent residents, temporary residents, asylees, refugees, and nonimmigrants who have been lawfully admitted to, and reside in, the United States and can ensure they are legally able to be paid for services by Harvard University.

Winning works will be premiered by the ensemble at Cadogan Hall and will be considered for publication by Novello & Co Ltd. Prize fund of £1000 is available. Six texts have been specifically selected for composers to set.

ICE seeks six creators in the practice of performed sound (composers, sound artists, generative music makers) for residencies beginning in early 2019. Selected artists will receive commission fees starting at $2,500;
compensated workshop time with musicians of ICE; electroacoustic technical support; intermedia design support; documentation including high definition performance video available for free at DigitICE.org; marketing/PR support

Early-career artists in New York City and Minnesota highly encouraged to apply

See website

December

See website

International Society of Bassists: David Walter Composition Competition

2-year Artist Fellowship supports creation of new work
workspace/studio/rehearsal rental, research, travel, professional development, professional equipment purchase, residency participation, development of new skills, and/or other needs directly related to artistic and career development as defined by the Fellow.

Open only to non-student early career generative artists who are legal residents of Minnesota or the five boroughs of New York City and not-for-profit arts organizations that serve those artists.

Selected works will be performed at the MATA Festival in New York City. All sorts of music is accepted: fully notated, improvised, sound art, video, electronic, found instruments, toys, installations, and everything in between.

MATA Jr. pairs pre-college composers selected from a free, global, call for submissions with emerging composers in a six-month mentorship program to create new works for performance by teen new-music ensemble Face the Music.

Students (K-grad school) are invited to submit original music to be performed at the Young Composers Concert. Up to ten winning composers will receive cash awards and all entrants receive written feedback.

Students, or teachers of students in grades K-grad school. 3 Categories: K-8, High School, and Collegiate.

The NAfME Electronic Music Composition Competition recognizes outstanding compositions and highlights the effectiveness of music technology in the school curriculum. Entries will be judged based on their aesthetic quality, use of electronic media, and the power of the composition. The schools of the winners in each category will receive a one-year subscription to Soundation4Education, courtesy of MusicFirst.

Students, or teachers of students in grades K-grad school. 3 Categories: K-8, High School, and Collegiate. Entrants must be sponsored by an NAfME member teacher, or be a NAfME Collegiate member in good standing.

Selected scores will be recorded by PARMA's partner ensembles and commercially released by PARMA Recordings. The submitter is responsible for securing funds associated with the production, and retains all ownership of the master and underlying composition.

First prize winner receives $500, work published by Tapspace Publications, professional recording, and performance by PPG. 2nd & 3rd prize works will be performed and recorded by the Portland Percussion Group.

Each year, RAM collaborates with an ensemble to present a concert of world premieres. As part of this collaboration, RAM conducts an anonymous call for scores on which the winning composition is included.

Composers will be chosen to have their works performed by members of the Third Millenium Ensemble. First prize: $400. Second prize: $200. Young Composer Prize: $150 or $100 for Pre-College. First & Second prize winners will receive performances by TME. Winning pieces in the Young Composer category may be eligible for performance.

Anyone may apply. Participants in the "Young Composer" category must be 21 or younger by February 2019.

Annually

February

$35 application fee for one piece; $15 for each additional submission.

Chosen composers will have their pieces workshopped and recorded by the American Composers Orchestra (NYC). Composers also participate in a series of professional development workshops covering such topics as promotion, score preparation and publishing, copyright and commissioning agreements, and other career essentials.

U.S. citizens or non-citizens lawfully and permanently residing, or studying full-time, in the United States.

(UVM-FNM) seeks instrumental chamber works to be performed at 2019 festival. Winner receives travel costs up to $400 and lodging for the festival, with the winning work performed on April 7, 2019 at the University of Vermont.

The Composer-in-Residence will have her music showcased on the Festival, will give talks and masterclasses to area schools, participate in other outreach and publicity activities, compose a new work to be premiered at the Festival, and more.

Web site: http://www.ivanjuritzprize.co.uk Expiration of Opportunity: Fri, 2019-03-29 Entries are invited for The Ivan Juritz Prize for Creative Experiment 2019. We are delighted to announce that the 2019 prize is now open and has grown! For the first time there will be a winner for each category: text, image, sound. The three winners will each […]

Web site: http://aaronclarke.net Currency: U.S. Dollar (USD) My name is Aaron Clarke. I'm a composer, guitarist, and percussionist based in the Boston area. I have significant experience in score and part preparation, proofreading, and formatting. I worked for four years alongside the composer of an opera which has had several national performances (Portland, ME; Pittsburgh, […]

Web site: https://goo.gl/forms/KfI2YJMIV4QgR3Jy1 Expiration of Opportunity: Wed, 2018-11-14 The Washington State University School of Music invites submissions to the annual WSU Festival of Contemporary Art Music, held February 28-March 2, 2019 in Pullman, Washington. We are pleased to welcome this year’s guest composer Jim Stephenson (https://composerjim.com), whose works will be presented by WSU faculty and […]

Web site: https://festivaldellavoce.wordpress.com/call-for-scores/ Expiration of Opportunity: Thu, 2018-11-15 Are you a music composer? Are you able to write a music theater piece in just 1 hour or less? "1 hour COMPOSED" is a call for scores oper to composers from all over the world. The piece has to be: - written for 1 to 6 […]

Expiration of Opportunity: Mon, 2018-11-19 Sonus Foundation for the Support of New Music and Contemporary Performing Arts announces Equilibrium, a workshop and concert of new miniatures for two organs with microtonal tuning. Published date: 30 Oct 2018 read more

Web site: http://www.myo.org/myo-programs/emerging-composers-competition/ Expiration of Opportunity: Wed, 2018-12-19 Entry Fee: 25.00 Currency: U.S. Dollar (USD) The Metropolitan Youth Orchestra of New York (MYO) is hosting an Emerging Composers Competition, open to all unpublished composers under the age of 25 as of July 1, 2019. This national competition has a Choral Division and an Orchestral Division. […]

Web site: https://noosaisam.com/noosa-isam-piano-competition/ Expiration of Opportunity: Fri, 2018-11-30 Entry Fee: 12.50 Currency: Euro (EUR) We have just received addition sponsorship to include a piano concert by the esteemed Ukrainian concert pianist Roman Lopatynskyi. He will be performing in the 2019 Noosa ISAM festival and will be programming 21st Century works in his concert. Therefore we […]

Web site: http://apply.interfolio.com/55039 Expiration of Opportunity: Sat, 2018-12-15 Two Positions in Music Composition – School of Music Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts at Arizona State University The School of Music in the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts at Arizona State University seeks two exceptional artist-scholars in the area of music composition. […]

Web site: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uNtEu0u1ruY_UXinmZabMvp-uwIV129WUplfH4mYXmU/... Expiration of Opportunity: Sat, 2018-12-01 Entry Fee: 0.00 OSSIA New Music: 2018–19 International Call for Scores APPLICATION DEADLINE: DECEMBER 1st, 2018 at 11:59PM US Eastern Time OSSIA New Music, the student-run new music organization at the Eastman School of Music, is pleased to announce a call for scores for our 2018–2019 International […]

Web site: https://novachamberorchest.wixsite.com/novachamberorchestra Expiration of Opportunity: Fri, 2019-02-01 Entry Fee: 5.00 Currency: U.S. Dollar (USD) NOVA Chamber Orchestra call for Scores and a Composer in Residence - Deadline: February 1, 2019 CONDITIONS: - Composers ages: no limit - All submitted works must be 5-20 minutes in length and must use the following instruments (numbers in […]

Web site: https://www.viennasummermusic.com/composers-forum Expiration of Opportunity: Fri, 2018-11-30 Entry Fee: 35.00 Currency: U.S. Dollar (USD) The Vienna Summer Music Festival-Composers Forum is proud to announce that we have expanded our composition program to opera and choral composition alongside our instrumental program featuring resident guest ensemble PHACE. There are three different programs within the VSMF - […]

Web site: http://brown.edu/go/mmc Expiration of Opportunity: Tue, 2019-01-01 Entry Fee: 75.00 Currency: U.S. Dollar (USD) Admissions are now open at Brown University for fully-funded Ph.D.’s in the Music and Multimedia Composition program. We encourage applicants from a wide range of diverse influences and methods to apply. Students in the program will produce, analyze, and perform […]

Web site: http://www.movinglab.org Expiration of Opportunity: Sun, 2018-12-23 Entry Fee: 20.00 Currency: Euro (EUR) WAV- Venice Audio- Visual Show welcomes you to the first year of celebrating music and audio-visual art forms from all over the world. Our aim is to showcase and highlight local and international music videos, films, photos, and music compositions. We […]

Currency: U.S. Dollar (USD) My name is Elijah Shiffer. I am a composer and saxophonist in New York, and I'm offering my services as a copyist, engraver, and transcriber. I engrave music in Finale. My specialty is jazz but I'm open to working with any/all other music. Email me at thirteenflatnine@yahoo.com for more information. Published […]

Expiration of Opportunity: Fri, 2018-12-14 Participate in Music Current 2019 Dublin Sound Lab invites composers to submit works for performance by the Swiss new music trio RETRO DISCO at MUSIC CURRENT FESTIVAL, Dublin, 10-13 April 2019. As many as eight composers will be selected and invited to attend all festival concerts at Smock Alley Theatre, […]

Web site: https://www.kantoschamberchoir.com/carol-competition-2018/ Expiration of Opportunity: Fri, 2018-11-30 Entry Fee: 10.00 Currency: British Pound (GBP) Christmas Carol Competition 2018 Kantos Chamber Choir are a leading ensemble in the North West of England The winning entry will be performed in the ‘Carols from Kantos’ concert on the evening of Saturday 15th December at Christ Church, West […]

Web site: http://www.furanosaxquartet.com/ Expiration of Opportunity: Sun, 2019-03-31 Entry Fee: 30.00 Currency: Euro (EUR) Composition Competition “RUMORE BIANCO” The Furano saxophone quartet, in collaboration with cultural association “Note a Sud”, is proud to announce a composition competition seeking submissions of new scores for saxophone quartet to be included in its repertoire with compositions belonging to […]

Web site: https://www.newmusicengine.org/categories/International-Gothic-Association-Call-... Expiration of Opportunity: Fri, 2019-02-01 Entry Fee: 0.00 Currency: U.S. Dollar (USD) The International Gothic Association is pleased to announce a call for fixed media works to be presented at their conference at Lewis University, July 30-August 2, 2019. The conference will host between 200 and 300 teachers, scholars, students, artists, writers […]

Web site: https://www.rossifest.org/applications2019 Expiration of Opportunity: Sat, 2018-12-15 Rossi Fest 2019 Call is open for young composers`works that give a contribution to the world heritage in terms of culture of remembrance of the World War II, Holocaust victims and those who opposed it, being based on or inspired by historical, literary or other sources dealing […]